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New Indian Express

Desi Cool

The sitar isn't supposed to sound like this. Not here—on a graffiti-splashed rooftop in Delhi, where Gen Alpha sips cold brew and lounges on bean bags under fairy lights. Not now—when the DJ just faded out a trap beat to make way for something older, deeper. And definitely not like this—with the crisp pluck of a string slipping seamlessly into a lo-fi backbeat that feels more late-night playlist than a music sabha. But then, Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma lifts his sitar onto his lap—and suddenly, everything makes sense. The opening notes stretch like breath—calm, deliberate. Then, a beat kicks in. Heads start to nod. The listeners are 19-year-olds in oversized hoodies. Some are here for the vibe, others are curious, and a few know their alaaps from their algorithms. But as Rishabh slides into an unexpected raga-meets-remix groove, none of that matters. Phones come out—not to scroll, but to record. Instagram Reels are filmed mid-performance. Later, sipping chai in the muggy Delhi heat, sweat glistening on his forehead, Rishabh says, 'Gen Z don't want to be told what to like. They want to feel it.' That's the heart of his revolution. He doesn't dilute tradition—he dresses it in denim and lets it jam with synths. It is Desi Cool. And it's come for us.